Armour

ABSTRACT

Armoured apparel is disclosed embodying a method of integrating the structure of armour with the structure of signal transmission means to enable that armour to be used as armoured protection for a wearer and for the signal transmission means and/or as a platform for conveying signals (e.g. for communication purposes or otherwise). Armoured apparel ( 1 ) is disclosed including armour means ( 5 ) arranged to shield a wearer of the apparel in use, and signal conduit means ( 8 ) is incorporated within the apparel for conveying signals therein, the signal conduit means being arranged such that the armour means shields both the signal conduit means and the wearer of the apparel in use.

The present invention relates to armour, and particularly though notexclusively to wearable armour and to items of armoured apparel, andmethods for their manufacture.

The persons most likely to wear, or be required to wear, personal armourare typically also most likely to carry, or be required to carry,communications equipment. Examples include personnel of the security,police or armed services. Other items of equipment including circuitryor circuit components may also be required to be carried by suchpersonnel. Often, several separate items of equipment must be carried bysuch personnel in addition to personal armour (e.g. body armour) andmay, in total, constitute a considerable burden and cause some fatigueor discomfort to the wearer. Typically, although items of personalarmour may permit other items of equipment to be attached thereto, theyare not specifically designed with a view to accommodating the carriageof separate items of communications or other equipment and it is oftenthe case that the wearing of body armour may obstruct the means by whichthe additional equipment is to be attached about the person or thewearer. Additionally, the personal armour itself typically provides noprotection for the additional equipment, nor does the additionalequipment provide any protection (e.g. ballistic protection) to theuser.

The present invention aims to provide armour which addresses at leastsome of the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art.

At its most general, the present invention proposes integrating thestructure of armour with the structure of signal transmission means toenable that armour to be used as armoured protection for a wearer andfor the signal transmission means and/or as a platform for conveyingsignals (e.g. for communication purposes or otherwise).

In a first of its aspects, the present invention may provide armouredapparel including armour means arranged to shield a wearer of theapparel in use, and signal conduit means incorporated within the apparelfor conveying signals therein, the signal conduit means being arrangedsuch that the armour means shields both the signal conduit means and thewearer of the apparel in use. In this way the armour means of theapparel, what ever form it takes (e.g. flexible armour such as sheets offlexible armour material, armour plating such as ceramic armour platesor the like) may be arranged within the apparel to at least shield thesignal conduit means therein to at least some extent whilesimultaneously shielding the wearer of the apparel. The shielding of thesignal conduit means may be performed by the armour means in the sameway it performs shielding of the wearer. The armour means mostpreferably includes material(s) forming an area or areas resistant topenetration by impacting (e.g. ballistic) or cutting objects (e.g.stabbing objects) thereby to protect the wearer from such objects. Thearmour may be “ballistic armour” which is to be understood to include areference to armour suitable for resisting and protecting a wearer frompenetration by ballistic/high-velocity projectiles such as bullets etc.

The signal conduit means is preferably arranged between portions of thearmour means such that the armour means shields the signal conduit meansat substantially opposite sides thereof simultaneously. For example, thearmour means of the apparel may have armour portions or parts arrangedto be worn at, or to protect, opposite sides/regions of the wearer (e.g.front and back coverage) simultaneously. The same simultaneousprotection is thereby afforded to the signal conduit means of theapparel.

The armour means preferably surrounds (e.g. wholly surrounds orencloses) the signal conduit means thereby to shield substantially allparts of the signal conduit means simultaneously, or at least at allsides of the signal conduit means.

Preferably, the signal conduit means is arranged between an innerportion of the armour means which is nearmost the wearer of the apparelin use, and an outer portion of the armour means more distant from thewearer of the apparel in use and simultaneously overlapping the innerportion of the armour means and the signal conduit means such that thearmour means shields the signal conduit means at substantially oppositesides thereof simultaneously.

The armoured apparel according to the invention in its first aspectpreferably incorporates signal conduit means within the armour meansthereof for conveying signals therein. For example, incorporation may beby embedding and/or encapsulating within the armour means.

The armour means may include a plurality of overlapping adjacent armourportions forming a stack of armour portions within which the signalconduit means is incorporated so as to be located between and covered byoverlapping armour portions of the stack. Each armour portion of thestack may be a layer of armour which overlaps each other layer of thestack to form a laminate within which the signal conduit means isincorporated.

In this way signal conduit means may be comprised and/or formed and/orembedded within the structure and body of the armour of the apparel asdistinct from being merely surrounded by such armour without beingincorporated therein. The conduit means is thereby robustly protected bythe armour.

The armoured apparel may incorporate passive circuit components and/oractive circuit components shielded by, and preferably incorporatedwithin, the armour means being most preferably operably connected to thesignal conduit means therein.

The armoured apparel may incorporate signal processor means shielded by(e.g. incorporated within) the armour means arranged to process signalsconveyed to it e.g. by the signal conduit means therein. Additionally,or alternatively, the signal processor means may be arranged to generatesignals for output to the signal conduit means.

The signal processor means may be operably connected to the signalconduit means or may be unconnected thereto but otherwise arranged toconvey signals to/from the signal conduit means (e.g. wirelessly).

For example, the signal conduit means may include signal transfer meansshielded by, or incorporated within, the armour means to transfersignals between the signal conduit means shielded by, or incorporatedwithin, the armour means and signal responsive means external orinternal to the apparel or the armour means to permit the passage ofsignals therebetween. The signal transfer means may include antennameans for wirelessly passing signals through the armour means. Suchwireless communication may be between components incorporated forexample within the apparel (e.g. within the armour means) or may bebetween internal and external communication means. Active componentswithin the apparel and/or armour means may, therefore, include wirelesssignal generators/transmitters and/or receivers, each may be connectedoperably to one or more of the antenna means.

The signal transfer means may include connector means arranged toconnect the signal conduit to signal a signal conduit external to theapparel and/or armour means. The connector means may pass through thearmour means thereby enabling contact/connection therewith by anexternal signal conduit externally or vice versa for internalconnection. The connector means may provide signal input/output portsvia which signals may be communicated to and/or from within the appareland/or armour means. Power may also be conveyed to/from within theapparel and/or armour means in this way.

The signal conduit means may incorporate electrically responsive signaltransmission means, and may incorporate at least a part of an electricalcircuit means.

A power supply means, for supplying power to the signal conduit meansand components operably connected thereto, may be incorporated withinthe apparel so as to be shielded by (e.g. incorporated within) thearmour means. The power supply means may be connected to the signalconduit means, or to passive/active or signal processor means within theapparel and/or armour means. The power supply means may include aninductive coupling means (e.g. an inductor coil/loop) arranged to beresponsive to an external inductive coupling means to generate energythereby to power electrical components incorporated within the appareland/or armour means.

Additionally, or alternatively, the signal conduit means may incorporateor include optical signal transmission means, such as fibre-optictransmission lines. Passive or active optical or electro/opticalcomponents may be incorporated in the armour. The signal conduit meansmay incorporate/include electromagnetic signal transmission lines suchas micro-strip lines/waveguides for conveying microwave or similarradiation.

Preferably, the signal conduit means is flexible. This enables theconduit to be flexed in use and when worn thereby enabling its use inarmour of a curved nature. The armoured apparel in which the signalconduit means is incorporated may be flexed, and the signal conduitmeans may be in a correspondingly flexed state.

At least a part of (preferably all of) the signal conduit may be mountedupon, or formed within, a mounting means which itself forms at least apart of the armour of the apparel. Kevlar® or similar materials aresuitable for this purpose since this material is suitable for use notonly as armour (e.g. ballistic armour) but also as a mounting board forelectrical circuits (e.g. a circuit board). Other (e.g. ceramic)materials may be used with or in place of flexible armour. For example,at least a part of (or the whole of) the signal conduit may be embeddedwithin a mounting means which itself forms at least a part of the armourmeans of the apparel.

The mounting means may be structured to afford strengthened regions formounting delicate/sensitive components thereon, and weaker, butpreferably lighter and more flexible regions for mounting the conduit.The mounting means may be a sheet (e.g. Kevlar (RTM), ceramic materialetc) having regions where passive and/or active circuit components arelocated, and relatively thinner regions where the signal conduit meansis located. Preferably, only signal conduit means is/are located at/onthe thinner regions. Alternatively, where the material of the mountingmeans is suitably flexible, the mounting means may dispense withvariations in thickness as described above.

The mounting means may be a sheet of flexible electronic circuit boardand the conduit means may be signal conduit tracks (e.g. printed/etchedconductive tracks) formed on the circuit board. Active and/or passivecomponents etc. may also simply be mounted on the circuit board in aconventional manner. Kevlar® circuit boards may be used. The mountingmeans may be flexed in use.

At least a part of the signal conduit is preferably fully enclosed (e.g.encapsulated) within the armour means of the apparel. That is to say,the signal conduit, or at least parts of it, may be wholly surrounded(e.g. on all sides) by the armour of the apparel. In alternativeembodiments the conduit may be within the armour means (e.g. sandwichedtherein between armour parts) without being wholly surrounded thereby.

The armoured apparel may include electromagnetic (EM) shield meansarranged e.g. within the armour means thereof to shield at least a partof the signal conduit means incorporated within the armour means fromelectromagnetic radiation external to the apparel. The EM shield meansmay comprise metallic foil extending over (but separated from) theconduit etc, or metalised plastic sheeting. The EM shield isparticularly useful when the conduit and/or active or passivecomponents, and/or a signal processor within the armour areelectronic/electrical in nature.

The EM shield means is preferably also arranged to shield passive and/oractive components and said signal processor means from electromagneticradiation external to the apparel. This shielding may not be required ifthose components are not electrical/electronic, e.g. if they arefibre-optic etc.

Armoured apparel is preferably structured such that the EM shield meansis arranged within the apparel such that the items to be shieldedthereby are located between the EM shield and the wearer of the apparel.This structure ensures that the EM shield is positioned between theprotected items and the outside world, which will typically be thesource of the EM radiation from which the items are to be protected.

The EM shield means preferably encloses the items it is arranged toshield. However, where the item of apparel circumscribes a wearer (e.g.a vest wrapping wholly around a wearers torso) it may be sufficient toprovide EM shield material circumscribing the wearer in use and also theitems to be protected. This would not enclose or encapsulate the itemsbut would provide 360° EM shielding.

The armoured apparel may include moisture barrier means arranged withinthe armour means thereof around the signal conduit means (and preferablyalso, passive, active and signal processor means) incorporated thereinto form a barrier to moisture. The moisture barrier means preferablyfully encloses the items for which it forms a moisture barrier. Thebarrier is preferably water/moisture proof. Preferably, the moisturebarrier means is also the EM shield means. Preferably, the moisturebarrier means also fully encloses all of the armour means of thearmoured apparel. This provision is particularly useful when the armourmaterial and/or the mounting means is E.g. kevlar® which rapidly losesrigidity (or becomes more easily deformable) and thereby losesprotectiveness upon contact with moisture. Water effectively lubricatesthe fibres of the armour material and the resultant effect is that thematerial deforms more easily. Of course, in embodiments employing armourmaterial not affected by moisture in this way, a moisture barrier may bedispensed with out detriment or risk. Moisture is also generallydetrimental to the signal conduit means and any passive/active, orsignal processing components within the armour.

The armoured apparel may include moisture responsive means arranged toprovide a detectable response to the presence of moisture within themoisture barrier means. The moisture responsive means is preferably ahumidity detector means arranged to monitor humidity within the moisturebarrier means and to generate a detectable signal when the monitoredhumidity level exceeds a predetermined threshold. The detectable signalmay be wirelessly transmitted from within the armour means, or may beaudibly broadcast from therein, or may be displayed upon a visualdisplay means (e.g. LCD screen) embedded in the armour means.

Some or all of the armour means of the apparel may be rigid, or may beflexible. A combination of hard (e.g. ceramic) armour and soft (e.g.Kevlar®) armour may be employed.

Where the signal conduit means includes connector means, most preferablythe connector means is arranged to extend through any EM shield and/ormoisture barrier within or upon the armour means.

Preferably the armour means of the apparel is formed as a series ofadjacent overlapping layers of armour material with the itemsincorporated within the armour (e.g. signal conduit means,passive/active components etc, EM shield, moisture barrier etc) beingsandwiched between adjacent layers of armour material. Preferably the EMshield and/or moisture barrier is separated from the signal conduitmeans (and any components/signal processors associated therewith) by anintermediate layer of armour material. Multiple separate EM barrierlayers and/or multiple separate moisture barrier layers may be providedin this way each being separated from any other non-armour layer by atleast one layer (e.g. two layers) of armour material. Preferably, thesignal conduit (and associated components) is sandwiched between twosuch multi-layered armour structures.

The armoured apparel is preferably arranged to be worn about the body orhead of the wearer (e.g. a helmet). In the former case, flexible armourpermits the apparel to deform to the shape of the wearer. Tiles of hardarmour may be incorporated in the apparel. The armoured apparel may bean item of combat armour, e.g. suitable for use by soldiers in combatfor their protection, but is not limited to this use of course. Radiotransmitter and/or receiver circuitry and/or display circuitry may beincorporated within the armour. For example, such receiver, transmitteror display circuitry may be arranged upon, or embedded within, an outerlayer/portion of armour which is outermost the wearer in use, thecircuitry being arranged at the inwardly-facing (i.e. wearer-facing)side of the outer armour part. The circuitry thereby may be sandwichedbetween the outer armour part and an adjacent inner armour layer/partlocated nearer the wearer in use. The outer layer is preferably hardarmour material (e.g. plate) and the inner layer is preferably flexiblearmour material. Preferably, the sandwiched circuitry is sandwichedagainst the outward facing surface of the inner layer.

The signal conduit means and active or passive components and/or signalprocessors may be arranged over areas of least curvature within thearmour means (e.g. over the chest or back area of an armoured vest/bodyarmour), or may be placed in regions of relatively high curvature (e.g.across the sides of a vest, or across a helmet).

The armour of the apparel may be ballistic armour, or may benon-ballistic protective armour (e.g. not bullet proof, but “stab-proof”etc.) The invention in its first aspect provides armoured apparel whichmay result from a method of manufacture of the same according to afurther aspect of this invention.

Accordingly, in a second of its aspects, the present invention mayprovide a method of manufacturing an item of armoured apparel forshielding a wearer of the apparel in use including providing an item ofwearable armour and an item of apparel, and (in any order): (a)incorporating a signal conduit means within the item of apparel forconveying signals therein; (b) arranging the item of wearable armour inthe item of apparel; wherein the signal conduit means is arranged suchthat the wearable armour shields both the signal conduit means and thewearer of the apparel in use.

The method may include arranging the signal conduit means to be betweenportions of the wearable armour such that the armour shields the signalconduit means at substantially opposite sides thereof simultaneously.The method may include arranging the signal conduit means to besurrounded by the wearable armour such that the armour shieldssubstantially all parts of (or at least all sides of) the signal conduitmeans simultaneously.

Step (b) may include providing an inner portion of wearable armour whichis nearmost the wearer of the apparel in use, and an outer portion ofwearable armour more distant from the wearer of the apparel in use andsimultaneously overlapping the inner portion of the armour means,wherein step (a) preferably includes arranging the signal conduit meansto be between and overlapped by the inner and outer armour portions suchthat the armour means shields the signal conduit means at substantiallyopposite sides thereof simultaneously.

Step (a) may include incorporating the signal conduit means within theitem of wearable armour.

The item of wearable armour may be provided by arranging a plurality ofoverlapping adjacent armour portions to form a stack of armour portionswithin which the signal conduit means is incorporated so as to belocated between and covered by overlapping armour portions of the stack.The method may include providing the stack by arranging a plurality ofoverlapping adjacent layers of armour which overlap each other layer ofthe stack to form a laminate within which the signal conduit means isincorporated.

Preferably, the method includes forming or mounting the signal conduitmeans upon a first item of armour, and subsequently sandwiching thesignal conduit means between the first item of armour and a separatesecond item of armour thereby to form the wearable item of armour.

The method may include sandwiching the first item of armour between saidseparate second item of armour and a separate third item of armourthereby to form the item of wearable armour.

The method may include forming/incorporating passive circuit componentsand/or active circuit components within the item of apparel, andpreferably within the item of wearable armour, to be operably connectedto the signal conduit means therein.

The method may include forming/incorporating signal processor meanswithin the item of apparel, and preferably within the item of wearablearmour, to process signals conveyed to it by the signal conduit meanstherein and to generate signals for output to the signal conduit means.

The method may include operably connecting the signal processor means tothe signal conduit means.

The method may include forming the signal conduit means so as to includesignal transfer means within the apparel, and preferably within the itemof wearable armour, for transferring signals between the signal conduitmeans within the apparel/armour means and signal responsive meansexternal or internal to the apparel/armour means to permit the passageof signals therebetween.

In the method, the formation of said signal transfer means may includethe formation of antenna means for wirelessly passing signals throughthe item of armour.

The method may include providing the signal transfer means withconnector means arranged to connect the signal conduit to signal asignal conduit external to the apparel and/or item of armour.

The method may include incorporating electrically responsive signaltransmission means within the signal conduit means.

The method may include incorporating at least a part of an electricalcircuit means within the signal conduit means.

The method may include incorporating optical signal transmission meansinto at least a part of the signal conduit means. The method may includeforming the signal conduit means so as to be flexible, and the item ofwearable armour may be incorporated into the item of apparel with thesignal conduit means in a flexed state.

The method may include mounting at least a part of the signal conduitupon a armoured mounting means, and may include incorporating themounting means within the item of apparel to form at least a part of thearmour of the apparel.

The method may include embedding at least a part of the signal conduitwithin armoured mounting means, and may include incorporating themounting means within the item of apparel to form at least a part of thearmour of the apparel.

The method may include providing the mounting means in the form of asheet of armoured material with relatively thinned regions, forming thesignal conduit means at relatively thinned regions of the sheet, andforming passive and/or active circuit components at other regions of thesheet.

The method may include providing the mounting means as a sheet offlexible electronic circuit board.

The method may include the additional step of forming an electromagnetic(EM) shield means within the item of apparel and/or armour to shield atleast a part of the signal conduit means therein from electromagneticradiation external to the apparel.

The method preferably includes forming the EM shield means to shieldpassive and/or active components and said signal processor means fromelectromagnetic radiation external to the apparel.

The method may include forming the EM shield means within the apparelsuch that the items to be shielded thereby are located between the EMshield and the wearer of the apparel, or forming the EM shield means toenclose the items it is arranged to shield.

A method may include forming a moisture barrier means within the item ofwearable armour around the signal conduit means to form a barrier tomoisture. Preferably, the moisture barrier means is also the EM shieldmeans.

A method may include providing moisture responsive means within the itemof wearable armour to provide a detectable response to the presence ofmoisture within the moisture barrier means. The moisture responsivemeans is preferably a humidity detector means, the method preferablyincluding arranging the humidity detector to monitor humidity within themoisture barrier means and to generate a detectable signal when themonitored humidity level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

It is to be understood that while the foregoing, and following, refersto an item of apparel incorporating signal conduit means (and otheritems) within the armour thereof, the present invention may also providethe armour alone, whether or not within an item of apparel, butpreferably being suitable for such use.

Accordingly, in a third of its aspects, the present invention mayprovide armour incorporating signal conduit means embedded (e.g.encapsulated) therein for conveying signals within the armour.

In a fourth of its aspects the present invention may provide ballisticarmour incorporating signal conduit means embedded (e.g. encapsulated)therein for conveying signals within the armour.

FIG. 1 a illustrates an item of armoured apparel in the form of anarmoured vest;

FIG. 1 b illustrates a cut-away view of the body armour in FIG. 1 a andshows the armoured vest incorporating electronic circuitry within itsarmour;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of electroniccircuitry embedded and enclosed within armour material employed withinthe armoured vest of FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the armouredapparel of FIG. 1 illustrating the multi-layered structure thereof.

In the figures like items are assigned like reference symbols.

FIG. 1 a illustrates an item of armoured apparel (1). The apparel inquestion is body armour in the form of an armoured vest to be worn aboutthe torso of a wearer.

FIG. 1 b illustrates this vest in a schematic “cut-away” view in whichthe structure of the vest, and its armour, is shown. The armour (2,5) ofthe apparel is housed within an outer cosmetic layer/structure which maybe any suitable material or fabric of a durable nature. A pocket (11) isprovided in the vest for housing a rigid armoured breast plate tile(item 7, FIG. 1 b). The armoured vest incorporates flexible ballisticarmour formed from a laminate including sheets of E.g. kevlar (RTM) orsimilar such material. The laminate comprises an outer layer (5) of sucharmour positioned outermost the wearer in use, and an inner layer (2) ofarmour positioned nearmost the wearer in use. The inner and outer armourlayers are substantially identically shaped and positioned relative toeach other such that each wholly overlaps the other within the laminate,with peripheral edges thereof being contiguous.

Electronic circuit components are incorporated within the laminate beingsandwiched between the inner and the outer armour layers, and arethemselves formed or mounted upon a sheet or sheets of E.g. kevlar®flexible circuit board material (3,4) which also provides ballisticarmour/protection to the wearer. The circuit carrying armour sheet (3,4)is formed to define relatively thin areas of armour material (3) uponwhich only signal conduits are formed, and relatively thicker areas ofarmour material (4) upon which electronic components are formed ormounted. The relatively thicker areas (4) provide greater structuralsupport for the electronic components which may be vulnerable to damageby excessive flexing of the circuit board material. This is generallynot so for the signal conduit means which are flexible and formed uponthinner and more flexible regions of the circuit board. Regions of thecircuit board intermediate adjacent electronic components are alsosimilarly relatively thin thereby allowing greater flexing of thecircuit board at regions in between neighbouring electronic components.This allows a region of the circuit board populated by a plurality ofelectronic components to be flexed as a whole without subjecting itsconstituent electronic components to undue flexing and stress.

The signal conduit means is formed on the relatively thin circuit boardregions (3) by direct printing or etching in a conventional manner aswould be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art of circuitboard manufacture. Alternatively, the signal conduit means may beoptical signal conduit means comprising optical fibres, or maybe printedmicrostrip/waveguide line(s) for conveying microwave or otherelectromagnetic signals or the like.

The electronic components include any suitable active and/or passiveelectronic/electrical circuit components (e.g. silicon chips, resistors,inductors, capacitors etc. not shown) as would be suitable for thepurpose and function of the circuit parts incorporated within thearmour. The armour may incorporate a complete circuit or parts of acircuit (or both). The circuit board (3,4) may be shaped as shown inFIG. 1 b to provide a number of separate relatively expansive regions(9,10) each containing a population/conurbation of electronic componentsgrouped upon adjacent thickened circuit board regions (4). Each suchseparate population (9,10) may be operably connected to another suchpopulation by means of a bridge or isthmus (8) of relatively thincircuit board (3) upon which signal conduits are formed via whichcomponents upon one population may communicate with those upon anotherpopulation.

Alternatively, or additionally, no such connecting bridge or isthmus maybe provided between selected separate populations either because no suchcommunication is required, or because wireless communications means areprovided upon the selected population(s) and those with which they arearranged to wirelessly communicate in use. To this extent, electroniccomponents incorporated within the armour may include wireless signaltransmitters and/or receivers. The signal conduit means may be shaped toprovide an antenna(s) (not shown) for wireless reception and/ortransmission of signals between circuit components within the armourand/or for transmission and/or reception of wireless signals to/fromoutside the armour. The signal conduit means may include parts shaped toform a patch/micro-strip antenna (not shown). Any suitable existingwireless transmission/reception means and methods, such as will bereadily apparent to the skilled addressee, may be employed for thispurpose. For example, mobile phone technologies may be used, “BlueTooth” wireless technologies may be used for example.

The incorporated circuit components may simply form a part of a largercircuit, parts of which reside outside the armour, but which communicatewith the incorporated components wirelessly and/or by means of signalconnectors. Such signal connectors (not shown) provide a physicalinterface (e.g. a socket) between incorporated components and externalones.

The incorporated circuit components preferably include a signalprocessor means arranged to (e.g. programmed or hardwired) to performany number of desired signal processing and/or control functions. Theprocessor may be re-programmable and preferably performs multiplediverse functions which would typically be performed by multipleseparate external processors in existing arrangements.

For example, the processor may be arranged to process externalcommunications signals conveyed to/from the wearer of the apparel andthereby obviate the need for an external communication signal processor.Signals may be received and/or transmitted via incorporated antennameans thereby also obviating the need for an external antenna.Alternatively, or additionally, signal connector means in the armour maypermit signals to pass from the processor incorporated within the armourto an external antenna operably connectable to the connector means.

Many types of armour material, and particularly flexible armour materialof the E.g. kevlar (RTM) variety, operate by providing a means for thedispersal of kinetic energy associated with an impacting projectilealong the armour material in a direction transverse to the trajectory ofthe projectile. Any due dispersal efficiency rapidly falls when suchmaterial absorbs moisture, in a manner analogous to the loss in theability of a drum skin to transversely disperse the kinetic energy of animpacting drumstick head when the drum skin becomes moist. Loss intransverse energy dispersal efficiency leads to a greater possibility ofthe armour being penetrated by a projectile. Clearly, such a course ofevents would be undesirable, not least to the wearer of the armouredapparel.

In the present example, the incorporated circuit components include asignal processor (not shown) programmed to monitor humidity levelswithin the armour laminate in which it is incorporated. Active andpassive circuit components within the armour include humidity and/ormoisture and/or temperature detectors which provide signals to thesignal processor means indicative of detected internal humidity/moisturelevels. The signal processor is arranged to produce a signal indicativeof the presence within the armour of a moisture/humidity level exceedinga threshold value stored within the processor. The signal iscommunicated to outside the armour to the wearer (or to others) eitheras a warning message/data conveyed wirelessly, or by an audible signalor visually via a visual display means (e.g. LCD screen, not shown)mounted upon the armour or apparel and operably connected to, orotherwise in communication with, the signal processor.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the flexiblecircuit board structure upon which the signal circuit andpassive/active/processor components are mounted. The circuit boardstructure comprises two sheets (18,19) of flexible E.g. kevlar-typematerial upon (or embedded within) opposing faces (16,17) of which arepassive and/or active circuit components (20) and parts of the signalconduit (21). The two sheets are bonded together at their opposing facesto form a single laminate circuit-carrying board with circuit componentsenclosed therein. The bonded opposing faces are positioned such thatselected signal conduit portions on the one face align with andconnect/contact with opposing signal conduit parts or components on theopposing face with which they are to communicate in use. Each of the twoopposing bonded sheets (18,19), has relatively thick parts (4) carryingactive/passive components, and relatively thin parts (3) carrying onlysignal conduit parts. Thin and thick parts of one sheet align with thinand thick parts, respectively, of the opposing sheet, such that thelaminate has correspondingly positioned thin and thick parts.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the entiretyof one side (e.g. the breast-plate) of the armoured vest (1).

The armour comprises a laminate including multiple sheets of flexiblearmour material (e.g. Kevlar) between sheets of which are sandwiched thecircuit board layer (3,4) of FIG. 2, and also to electromagnetic (EM)shielding layers (36) comprised of a metal foil, or metalised plasticsheeting, which together wholly enclose two flexible armour sheets (32)which themselves also enclose the circuit board layer (3,4). A furthertwo sheets of flexible armour material (33,34) overlay each of the twoEM shielding layers. This nine-layer inner laminate structure is alsoenclosed in (and sandwiched between) two outer vapour barrier layerseach comprised of a sheet (or sheets) of durable waterproof materialsuch as plastics material.

The two EM shielding layers each also serve as a moisture barrier layerwhich not only protects from moisture the flexible armour sheets (32)sandwiched between them, but also protect circuitry in this way. Thus,an 11-layer laminate of moisture-protected armour is provided, thelayering within the laminate being symmetrical about the circuit boardlayer at its centre. Asymmetrical layering may be employed of course.

A final cosmetic layer (6) of material/fabric is provided forming thepart of the structure of the vest within which the armour laminate ishoused. The cosmetic layer may be any suitably durable material (e.g.canvas). Referring to FIG. 1 b, the vest possesses an outer pocket (11)positioned over the chest area of the vest within which a tile of hardceramic ballistic armour is housed. This hard armour tile may alsoincorporate an electronic layer incorporating, for example, radiotransmitters and/or receivers and electronics for controlling an LCDcomputer display terminal (not shown) mounted upon the surface of thetile providing an interface to computing means incorporated and housedwithin the tile of armour. The same or similar arrangement may also beprovided in respect of the flexible armour laminate discussed above. Itis to be appreciated that the above examples are not intended to belimiting examples and that variants or modifications thereof, such aswould be readily apparent to the skilled person, may be made, and areenvisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention.

1. An armoured apparel comprising: armour means arranged to shield awearer of the apparel in use, and signal conduit means incorporatedwithin the armour means for conveying signals therein, the signalconduit means being arranged such that the armour means shields both thesignal conduit means and the wearer of the apparel in use. 2-73.(canceled)
 74. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 in which thesignal conduit means is arranged between portions of the armour meanssuch that the armour means shields the signal conduit means atsubstantially opposite sides thereof simultaneously.
 75. The armouredapparel according to claim 1 in which the armour means surrounds thesignal conduit means thereby to shield substantially all parts of thesignal conduit means simultaneously.
 76. The armoured apparel accordingto claim 1 in which the signal conduit means is arranged between aninner portion of the armour means which is nearmost the wearer of theapparel in use, and an outer portion of the armour means more distantfrom the wearer of the apparel in use and simultaneously overlapping theinner portion of the armour means and the signal conduit means such thatthe armour means shields the signal conduit means at substantiallyopposite sides thereof simultaneously.
 77. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 1 in which the armour means includes a plurality ofoverlapping adjacent armour portions forming a stack of armour portionswithin which the signal conduit means is incorporated so as to belocated between and covered by overlapping armour portions of the stack.78. The armoured apparel according to claim 77 in which each armourportion of the stack is a layer of armour which overlaps each otherlayer of the stack to form a laminate within which the signal conduitmeans is incorporated.
 79. The armoured apparel according to claim 1including passive circuit components and/or active circuit componentswithin the armour operably connected to the signal conduit meanstherein.
 80. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 including signalprocessor means within the armour arranged to process signals conveyedto it by the signal conduit means therein and to generate signals foroutput to the signal conduit means.
 81. The armoured apparel accordingto claim 80 in which the signal processor means is operably connected tothe signal conduit means.
 82. The armoured apparel according to claim 1in which the signal conduit means includes signal transfer meansarranged within the armour to transfer signals between the signalconduit means within the armour and signal responsive means external orinternal to the armour to permit the passage of signals therebetween.83. The armoured apparel according to claim 82 in which the signaltransfer means includes antenna means for wirelessly passing signalsthrough the armour.
 84. The armoured apparel according to claim 82 inwhich the signal transfer means includes connector means arranged toconnect the signal conduit to signal a signal conduit external to thearmour.
 85. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 in which thesignal conduit means incorporates electrically responsive signaltransmission means.
 86. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 inwhich the signal conduit means incorporates at least a part of anelectrical circuit means.
 87. The armoured apparel according to claim 1in which the signal conduit means incorporates optical signaltransmission means.
 88. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 inwhich the signal conduit means is flexible.
 89. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 88 in which the signal conduit means is flexed. 90.The armoured apparel according to claim 1 in which at least a part ofthe signal conduit is mounted upon a mounting means which itself formsat least a part of the armour of the apparel.
 91. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 1 in which at least a part of the signal conduit isembedded within a mounting means which itself forms at least a part ofthe armour of the apparel.
 92. The armoured apparel according to claim88 in which the mounting means is a sheet having regions where passiveand/or active circuit components are located, and relatively thinnerregions where the signal conduit means is located.
 93. The armouredapparel according to claim 88 in which the mounting means is a sheet offlexible electronic circuit board.
 94. The armoured apparel according toclaim 88 in which the mounting means is flexed.
 95. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 1 in which at least a part of the signal conduit isenclosed within the armour of the apparel.
 96. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 1 including electromagnetic (EM) shield meansarranged within the armour thereof to shield at least a part of thesignal conduit means therein from electromagnetic radiation external tothe apparel.
 97. The armoured apparel according to claim 96 in which theEM shield means is arranged to shield passive and/or active componentsand said signal processor means from electromagnetic radiation externalto the apparel.
 98. The armoured apparel according to claim 96 in whichthe EM shield means is arranged within the apparel to such that theitems to be shielded thereby are located between the EM shield and thewearer of the apparel.
 99. The armoured apparel according to claim 96 inwhich the EM shield means encloses the items it is arranged to shield.100. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 including moisturebarrier means arranged within the armour thereof around the signalconduit means to form a barrier to moisture.
 101. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 100 in which the moisture barrier means is also theEM shield means.
 102. The armoured apparel according to any of claims100 including moisture responsive means arranged to provide a detectableresponse to the presence of moisture within the moisture barrier means.103. The armoured apparel according to claim 102 in which the moistureresponsive means is a humidity detector means arranged to monitorhumidity within the moisture barrier means and to generate a detectablesignal when the monitored humidity level exceeds a predeterminedthreshold.
 104. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 in which someor all of the armour is The armoured apparel according to claim 1 inwhich some or all of the armour is rigid.
 106. The armoured apparelaccording to claim 1 in which the apparel is arranged to be worn aboutthe body of the wearer.
 107. The armoured apparel according to claim 1in which the apparel is arranged to be worn about the head of thewearer.
 108. The armoured apparel according to claim 1 in which thearmour is ballistic armour.
 109. A method of manufacturing an item ofarmoured apparel for shielding a wearer of the apparel in use includingproviding an item of wearable armour and an item of apparel, comprisingthe steps of: (a) incorporating a signal conduit means within the itemof wearable armour for conveying signals therein; (b) arranging the itemof wearable armour in the item of apparel; wherein the signal conduitmeans is arranged such that the wearable armour shields both the signalconduit means and the wearer of the apparel in use.
 110. The methodaccording to claim 109 including arranging the signal conduit means tobe between portions of the wearable armour such that the armour shieldsthe signal conduit means at substantially opposite sides thereofsimultaneously.
 111. The method according to claim 109 includingarranging the signal conduit means to be surrounded by the wearablearmour such that the armour shields substantially all parts ofsimultaneously.
 112. The method according to claim 109 in which step (b)includes providing an inner portion of wearable armour which is nearmostthe wearer of the apparel in use, and an outer portion of wearablearmour more distant from the wearer of the apparel in use andsimultaneously overlapping the inner portion of the armour means,wherein step (a) includes arranging the signal conduit means to bebetween and overlapped by the inner and outer armour portions such thatthe armour means shields the signal conduit means at substantiallyopposite sides thereof simultaneously.
 113. The method according toclaim 109 in which the item of wearable armour is provided by arranginga plurality of overlapping adjacent armour portions to form a stack ofarmour portions within which the signal conduit means is incorporated soas to be located between and covered by overlapping armour portions ofthe stack.
 114. The method according to claim 113 including providingsaid stack by arranging a plurality of overlapping adjacent layers ofarmour which overlap each other layer of the stack to form a laminatewithin which the signal conduit means is incorporated.
 115. The methodaccording to claim 109 including forming the signal conduit means upon afirst item of armour, and subsequently sandwiching the signal conduitmeans between the first item of armour and a separate second item ofarmour thereby to form the wearable item of armour.
 116. The methodaccording to claim 115 including sandwiching the first item of armourbetween said separate second item of armour and a separate third item ofarmour thereby to form the item of wearable armour.
 117. The methodaccording to claim 109 in which step (a) includes forming/incorporatingpassive circuit components and/or active circuit components within theitem of wearable armour to be operably connected to the signal conduitmeans therein.
 118. The method according to claim 109 in which step (a)includes forming/incorporating signal processor means within the item ofwearable armour to process signals conveyed to it by the signal conduitmeans therein and to generate signals for output to the signal conduitmeans.
 119. The method according to claim 118 including operablyconnecting the signal processor means to the signal conduit means. 120.The method according to claim 109 in which step (a) includes forming thesignal conduit means so as to include signal transfer means within thearmour for transferring signals between the signal conduit means withinthe armour and signal responsive means external or internal to thearmour to permit the passage of signals therebetween.
 121. The methodaccording to claim 120 in which the formation of said signal transfermeans includes the formation of antenna means for wirelessly passingsignals through the armour.
 122. The method according to claim 121including providing the signal transfer means with connector meansarranged to connect the signal conduit to signal a signal conduitexternal to the armour.
 123. The method according to claim 109 in whichstep (a) includes incorporating electrically responsive signaltransmission means within the signal conduit means.
 124. The methodaccording to claim 109 in which step (a) includes incorporating at leasta part of an electrical circuit means within the signal conduit means.125. The method according to claim 109 in which step (a) includesincorporating optical signal transmission means into at least a part ofthe signal conduit means.
 126. The method according to claim 109 inwhich step (a) includes forming the signal conduit means so as to beflexible.
 127. The method according to claim 126 in which the item ofwearable armour is incorporated into the item of apparel with the signalconduit means in a flexed state.
 128. The method according to claim 109in which step (a) includes mounting at least a part of the signalconduit upon a armoured mounting means, and step (b) includesincorporating the mounting means within the item of apparel to form atleast a part of the armour of the apparel.
 129. The method according toclaim 109 in which step (a) includes embedding at least a part of thesignal conduit within armoured mounting means, and step (b) includesincorporating the mounting means within the item of apparel to form atleast a part of the armour of the apparel.
 130. The method according toclaim 109 in which step (a) includes providing the mounting means in theform of a sheet of armoured material with relatively thinned regions,forming the signal conduit means at relatively thinned regions of thesheet, and forming passive and/or active circuit components at otherregions of the sheet.
 131. The method according to claim 130 includingproviding the mounting means as a sheet of flexible electronic circuitboard.
 132. The method according to claim 109 including the additionalstep of forming an electromagnetic (EM) shield means within the item ofarmour to shield at least a part of the signal conduit means thereinfrom electromagnetic radiation external to the apparel.
 133. The methodaccording to claim 132 including forming the EM shield means to shieldpassive and/or active components and said signal processor means fromelectromagnetic radiation external to the apparel.
 134. The methodaccording to claim 133 including forming the EM shield means within theapparel such that the items to be shielded thereby are located betweenthe EM shield and the wearer of the apparel.
 135. The method accordingto claim 133 including forming the EM shield means to enclose the itemsit is arranged to shield.
 136. The method according to claim 109including forming a moisture barrier means within the item of wearablearmour around the signal conduit means to form a barrier to moisture.137. The method according to claims 136 in which the moisture barriermeans is also the EM shield means.
 138. The method according to claims136 including providing moisture responsive means within the item ofwearable armour to provide a detectable response to the presence ofmoisture within the moisture barrier means.
 139. The method according toclaim 138 which the moisture responsive means is a humidity detectormeans, the method including arranging the humidity detector to monitorhumidity within the moisture barrier means and to generate a detectablesignal when the monitored humidity level exceeds a predeterminedthreshold.
 140. An armour incorporating signal conduit means embeddedtherein for conveying signals within the armour.
 141. A ballistic armourincorporating signal conduit means embedded therein for conveyingsignals within the armour.